I remember when I was really little, I think one. I remember my dad coming to visit. I remember my dad's golden locks of hair, handsome features, those dark slick sunglasses perched atop his head. Just remembering his smile warmed my body.
He sat down on the couch and picked me up by the sides and plopped me onto his lap.
"Hey there Kenzie."
He pinched my cheeks playfully and bounced me on his lap.
"Want a harmonica?"
He said, slipping one into my tiny hands.
"C'mon, play."
I don't know how, but I did. I played it. Flawlessly.
Suddenly, a woman came into the room.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"
She said, in a shrill voice.
"What do you mean? I'm your husband!"
"You call just popping in every couple days being a husband?! No less a father?! I've been having to deal with this, this MONSTER all alone!"
She jabbed a finger at me.
"You would call your own daughter a monster? You don't even care about her, do you? You just left her at home by herself!"
"YOU'VE BEEN PLAYING WITH HER MIND. I KNOW IT. YOU THINK YOU'RE ALL THAT, DON'T YOU? WHAT WITH YOUR GODLY POWERS AND STUFF."
"You don't deserve Kenzie. And she definitely doesn't deserve the kind of parent you are."
"What about the kind of parent you are?"
"So you want me to leave you with this MONSTER? Or would you rather deal with TWO MONSTERS?"
My dad shot to his feet.
"You know what I think? I think--"
She slipped away, and stepped back into the room, gun loaded.
"You can't kill me. I'm a go-"
She pointed it at me.
"I will do it."
My dad hesitated. And then he whipped out his own gun, and aimed it at my mom.
"Hailee... Please."
"So now you're trying to reason with me?"
"Put down the gun."
